Petunia plant named ‘PEHY0044’

ABSTRACT

A new  Petunia  plant named ‘PEHY0044’ particularly distinguished by its small sized, purple with white flowers, medium to late flowering and a mounding plant habit

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Petunia hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEHY0044’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Petunia, botanically known as Petunia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘PEHY0044’.

‘PEHY0044’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has small sized, purple with white flowers, medium to late flowering and a mounding plant habit

‘PEHY0044’ originated from a hybridization made in October 2015 in a controlled breeding environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was the variety ‘PEHY0032’ (CPVO No. 48645, issued Mar. 19, 2018). Compared to ‘PEHY0044’, it has a bit more mounding plant habit, bit less vigor, is earlier, has a bigger flower and has a lavender flower color.

The male parent of ‘PEHY0044’ was the unpatented variety ‘Littletunia bicolor illusion’, a plant with a smaller flowers, earlier flowering, a bit more upright plant habit, and a more purple-red color with narrow white stripes.

The resulting seeds were sown in January 2016. ‘PEHY0044’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in May, 2016 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEHY0044’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in June 2016 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in June 2016 and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘PEHY0044’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEHY0044’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar has not yet been applied for. ‘PEHY0044’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘PEHY0044’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Petunia as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘PEHY0044’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type. The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1 a flowering plant of the new variety and in FIG. 2 a close-up of the flowers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs were taken in April 2018 from plants growing indoor in 12 cm pots in Andijk, The Netherlands. These plants were approximately 11 weeks of age.

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in September 2018 in Andijk, The Netherlands on approximately 20 week old plants that were growing in containers.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEHY0044’ AND A SIMILAR VARIETY ‘PEHY0031’ (U.S. Plant Pat. ‘PEHY0044’ No. 30,180) Plant habit: Mounding Dense and flat growth Flower size and color: Small, purple with Small purple white Plant height: 24 cm 13 cm

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Mounding plant habit.         -   Plant height.—24 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—27 cm.         -   Plant diameter (width).—Approximately 30 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate and produce roots.—16 days at             about 22° C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N158D. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sometimes opposite,             decussate.         -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Immature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 147B.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 147B.         -   Variegation of the leaf.—Absent.         -   Length.—2-3.5 cm.         -   Width.—1-1.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Base shape.—Shortly attenuate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Densely covered with short hairs.         -   Lower surface.—Densely covered with short hairs.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 146C.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 146C.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 146C.         -   Length.—0.3 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Petiole texture.—Densely covered with short hairs. -   Stem:     -   -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—4-5.         -   Color of stem.—RHS 146C.         -   Length of stem.—21 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—1.5-3.0 cm.         -   Texture.—Dense, mostly glandular short hairs.         -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 146C.         -   Length of pedicel.—1.0 cm.         -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.2 cm.         -   Texture of pedicel.—Densely covered with short hairs. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Floret type.—Funnel-shaped; 5 lobed petals; fused at base.         -   Blooming habit.—Medium to late flowering in greenhouse,             flowering throughout the summer months.         -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—Approximately 55.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 7 days.         -   Fragrance.—Rather strong smell, spicy. -   Bud (just when opening):     -   -   Color.—RHS 159B at top, RHS 159B with veins RHS 144B towards             base.         -   Length.—2.3 cm.         -   Width.—0.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblong. -   Immature inflorescence:     -   -   Flower horizontal diameter.—1.6 cm.         -   Color petals, upper surface.—RHS N81A, with stripes RHS 155A             and veins RHS 144C.         -   Color petals, lower surface.—RHS 82B, with stripes RHS 155A             and veins RHS 144B. -   Mature flower:     -   -   Flower horizontal diameter.—6 cm.         -   Flower height (vertical).—2.5-3.5 cm.         -   Color upper surface.—RHS N81A, stripes RHS 155A.         -   Color lower surface.—RHS 82B, with stripes RHS 155A.         -   Conspicuousness of veins.—Medium.         -   Apex shape.—Acuminate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Waviness of margin.—Low.         -   Petal lobation.—Little.         -   Petal texture, upper surface.—Smooth.         -   Petal texture, lower surface.—Smooth, occasionally a short             hair.         -   Corolla tube color outside.—RHS 83A with veins RHS 187A.         -   Corolla tube color inside.—RHS 187A with longitudinal             stripes darker than RHS 187A.         -   Conspicuousness of veins in tube.—Medium.         -   Corolla tube length.—2 cm.         -   Corolla tube texture, outside.—Rather dense and short             glandular hairs.         -   Corolla tube texture, inside.—Glabrous. -   Calyx:     -   -   Color of sepal, upper surface.—RHS 146A.         -   Color of sepal, lower surface.—RHS 146A.         -   Length.—1.1 cm.         -   Width.—0.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Ensiform.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Densely covered with short glandular             hairs.         -   Lower surface.—Densely covered with short glandular hairs. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Pistil.—1.         -   Length.—2.2 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 145C, some anthocyanin near style, RHS             187A.         -   Style length.—1.5 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 145B.         -   Stamens.—         -   Quantity per flower 5.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS 145D.         -   Length filaments.—1.3 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 188B.         -   Anther length.—0.2 cm.         -   Anther shape.—Elliptical.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS 188D.         -   Pollen amount.—Sparse.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been observed on this hybrid.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been observed on this             hybrid. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Petunia plant named ‘PEHY0044’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 